My fist machine was a Pfaff Hobbymatic and I still have it and my second machine was the 7550 and I trade it in for a 2170 and I am ever so happy with them all. Pfaff is not well known in South Africa, but the German craftmanship is excellent! I must say I have a Babylock overlocker and it works very well. I spoke to a person who works in one of the biggest repairshops locally and he said that those 2 are the best, because their body is still steel, where the others are strong plastics. So, I agree, it is mostly personal taste, but I will stick to my Pfaff machines, come what may.